Reversible clothing is known in the art. Reversible garments are designed such that the two surfaces of the garment have a different pattern, color, or texture. Therefore, the user is provided with two choices of pattern, color or fabric texture with each garment.
Some types of reversible garments are constructed using two different types of fabrics. The two fabrics are sewn together such that a different fabric faces out when the garment is turned inside out and vice versa. The problem with this design is that the clothing is typically bulky and uncomfortable due to the two layer thickness of the garment fabric. In order to solve this problem, reversible garments were designed using two-sided, single thickness fabric. Because the fabric is only one layer in thickness, the garment is relatively thin and comfortable to wear, yet the garment is reversible.
However the design of pockets and fly openings for pants still creates a problem when two sided fabric is used. With most designs of pockets and fly openings, the structural appearance and form of the pockets and the fly changes when the pants are reversed. In order to solve this problem with the pockets, several types of reversible pants with reversible pockets were designed. For example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,425,062 and 3,234,564, issued to Chujfi disclose a pair of reversible pants wherein the front panels have pockets sewn to each surface. Therefore, when the pants are worn with either side out, a pair of front pockets are useable to the wearer. However, due to the triple thickness caused by the double pockets, the front pocket area of the pants is relatively thick and bulky.
Another pair of reversible pants with reversible pockets is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 1,337,698, issued to Gongora. Gongora discloses a pocket arrangement in which the pocket is secured to the front panel of the pants, and passes through a slot in the front panel of the pants to either side of the pants. However, in the pocket arrangement disclosed in Gongora, only the top portion of the pocket is secured the front panel of the pants. As a result, the lower end of the pockets can easily bunch when the pants are worn. Also, the pockets may pull at the area where the pockets are secured to the pants when relatively heavy items are placed in the pockets. The need to access the single pocket of Gongora from both sides weakens the structural continuity of the garment; and the Gongora pants therefore includes two wide bands, one on each side of the upper opening of each pocket, with the result that the Gongora pants have at least one bulky transverse zone where there are five thicknesses of material. Therefore, a need exists for a pair of reversible pants having a reversible pocket arrangement, wherein the pants have adequate structural continuity without unduly bulky zones, and wherein the pockets are provided with adequate support to prevents the pockets from bunching or pulling.
The reversible pants known in the art are also typically designed with either zipper or button flys. For example, the reversible pants disclosed in the Gongora patent use buttons and buttonholes to close the fly. The buttons are on the inner flap of the fly, such that when the pants are worn normal side out, the buttons are facing away from the body, and are visible. When the pants are turned inside out, the buttons are facing toward the body, and are hidden from view. As a result, the fly is buttoned and unbuttoned differently depending on how the pants are worn, and the fly is more difficult to unbutton when the pants are worn inside out. Also, when the pants are worn inside out, the structural appearance of the fly differs from when the pants are worn right side out
Therefore, a need exists for a pair of reversible pants having reversible front pockets with adequate support, wherein the fly is easily buttoned or unbuttoned when the pants are worn with either side facing out, and wherein the structural appearance and function of the front pockets and the fly does not change depending on which side of the pants are worn facing out.